'Tales from the BYU Cougars Sideline': Fourth-and-18

Comments

I watched BYU's 50 Best Plays of all time and was a little disappointed
that Chad Lewis' block of a Notre Dame field goal in our first victory over
the Irish was not included. Early in the second half, the Irish got down within
the 10-yard line and couldn't punch it in. The blocked field goal seemed
to set the tone for the rest of the game and is on my personal top-10 list of
great Cougar plays.

iNKSpotWilsonville, OR

July 31, 2013 6:22 a.m.

Back in 1962 when I was new on campus, so was Coach Edwards who came on as an
assistant. In his memoirs he asserted that back then football was something we
watched while waiting for basketball season to start. We lost to George
Washington University and College of the Pacific that year, two schools that no
longer have football teams. Today, we no longer joke about having to give up as
tithing one yard for every 10 we gain. No excuses needed anymore.

Y Grad / Y DadRichland, WA

July 29, 2013 2:13 p.m.

SlopJ30St Louis, MO

I think you're over thinking this one.
Or maybe under thinking, not really sure which.

Does God ever
intervene in anything? Can He intervene in anything? Are His purposes always
obvious or immediately manifest?

I honestly believe Austin was an
instant, temporary hero faced with an interesting question. He could have said
"Man, I toasted that marshmallow! Given enough time, I KNEW that superior
athleticism, coaching and intellect would rule the day!" Instead he chose
to say "work hard, live right and sometimes, magic happens."

So after 3 in a row, what do BYU fans hear from our red brothers to the north?
"We own you! Total domination! Superior athletes, superior coaching, and
BYU will NEVER be anything but JV!" And you think Austin Collie was the
offensive one? No, one's remarks do not justify the other. Austin's
remarks need no justification. Offense inferred where no offense was intended.

baddogCedar Rapids, IA

July 29, 2013 1:48 p.m.

@Hey Baby:

If you don't believe in modern revelation, this might
not have much influence with you.

The Doctrine and Covenants Section
130, verses 20 and 21 tell us:

20 There is a law, irrevocably
decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings
are predicated—

21 And when we obtain any blessing from God,
it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.

So, if
Austin Collie was performing to the requirements of the law (or a team might be
doing better than another), it is feasible that one might have blessings that
help in the midst of competition. On the other hand, God does seem to enjoy
watching his sons and daughters do the best they can, even without the
dispensing of blessings.

If an athlete feels he or she received some
help, we aren't in a position to qustion that except to disparage.

I can truthfully say I have seen that kind of help in my own life and in
the lives of my children.

bribri86Phoenix, AZ

July 29, 2013 10:46 a.m.

Hey Baby,

A has-been in the NFL vs. you (a never was). Big talk for
someone who has never been there. Just like someone who talks about how
missionaries should act who never served. Just like people ragging on or
demanding things on behalf of the military who have never served. Go out and
get some experience, then talk to us about who God blesses. Does God favor one
army over the others? Does God favor a missionary or missions over others? I
dare say the answer is yes...but then I'm talking from MY experience, not
like you who only theorizes.

Hey BabyFranklin, IN

July 28, 2013 6:40 p.m.

Soooooo, lets say Collie is correct and there is some type of deity football
fans that reward certain teams or players for good behavior...

Soooooo, Collie was blessed at BYU...did he use up his 2 year supply of
blessing storage once he hit the NFL (which in his case stood for Not For
Long)...

8% tithing?? No home teaching? Napping in Sac Mtg?

He got his bell rung pretty good and often...

DuckhunterHighland, UT

July 28, 2013 4:06 p.m.

The thing I like about Collies comment is how much angst and pain it has cause
utah "fans" over the years. Whether or not he was correct really
doesn't matter to me, I like the results it has brought us. So much good
stuff, so many funny tortured posts and comments from utah "fans" over
it. Simply awesome stuff.

LOL!

SlopJ30St Louis, MO

July 28, 2013 12:47 p.m.

I'm a Y fan but always cringe when I hear people start chalking up success
in sports, professional endeavors, health, etc to "righteousness" or
"blessings." The Rock is wrong . . I CAN and DO dismiss the possibility
that God occasionally pulls the puppet strings in a sporting event to
"bless" one team or one player. And the SMU Miracle Bowl? Come on, man .
. miracle finishes happen all the time. It had nothing to do with God;
everything to do with Jim McMahon.

Collie's quote was a black
eye. He can defend it all he wants, but any honest observer who heard or read
the quote would have gotten the impression he was saying God decided BYU was
more deserving of a win that day. Gag.

Hey BabyFranklin, IN

July 27, 2013 7:27 p.m.

Wingnut...

Excellent! Agree...obeidience, hard work, humility,
prayer, weightlifting, better cleats, luck...it's all a part of football
and His sons definitely are blessed for the first 3...

Love your
post!!!

Wingnut1USA, UT

July 27, 2013 5:14 p.m.

Hey Baby...

I'm not saying God does favor BYU. However you say
he cares nothing about college football. I say he cares about "you". He
wants you to do your best in all of the areas of your life. I have studied
really hard for a test, and prayed for help, and because of my preparation and
obedience to his commandments, I received help on the test. Maybe the same
happens for individuals in college football. The only thing The Rock failed to
mention is that it can happen places other than BYU. God doesn't have a
"football team" but he does have sons as players on teams, and he wants
his sons to do their best. So when they obey his commandments, and prepare their
best for the game, and ask for help, there is definitely a possibility that he
will help them. That doesn't mean he favors them more than any other one of
his sons, they just did what he asked them to do when others didn't. Maybe
that divine helps makes a team win, but that doesn't mean he favors that
team :)

Hey BabyFranklin, IN

July 27, 2013 3:46 p.m.

Rock...

The God I worship cares nothing about college football I am
most certain...I am dismissing the possibility that he intervenes in athletic
contests...

I would suggest prayer, scripture study and
counseling...

If a Heavenly Father had a football team they would win
every game...right??

Down right nutty...

BigCougarBountiful, UT

July 27, 2013 3:30 p.m.

it was an unbelievable play, had Max's shoulder been healthy Collie likely
would've taken it to the house. He had Bryce McCain so badly fooled that
Austin still had time to stop and wait for Max's pass before adding yards
after the catch.

Idaho_BoyAberdeen, ID

July 27, 2013 10:09 a.m.

I have always said that the difference between the average BYU QB and the great
ones was there ability to throw the long ball. When the game was on the line
they trusted themselves to throw that long throw. BYU's offense is
designed to throw a lot of short and intermediate routes, but if you don't
throw some long balls occasionally the defense will cheat up and stuff the run
game and either pick off or knock down your short routes.

The RockFederal Way, WA

July 27, 2013 7:40 a.m.

Austin Collie was right. If you do what is right, on and off the field you will
be blessed.Does God favor BYU above Utah or any other team? Perhaps, there
have been way too many "miracles" to just dismiss the possibility. 1984
Miracle Bowl for example. That just does not happen.BYU won so many games
with LaVell Edwards as coach against teams with far more talented players that
you just cannot dismiss the possibility.

mindgamesAurora, CO

July 27, 2013 2:24 a.m.

GOOD MEMORIES

This year will be another in those great BYU wins.

It seems unimaginable that there have been loses the last few years, I
am sure everybody in the program is shaking their head about how such an
inferior team with losing records for those seasons could muster the energy and
emotional highs to pull off the upsets.

But 2013 will be a
realignment of normalcy as the Cougars erase the only quality wins for Utah in
the past three years and put their out of conference records more in line with
their conference records. Utah has simply been pathetic in the PAC-12 and are
predicted to be a bottom of the conference team again, if one is to believe the
prognosticators.

So let's enjoy this years victory over an
overmatched squad from that power house conference.